It does seem like the 6 month mark for a lot of people is where the bad habits of the past and additional hunger start creeping back in. It has certainly been a bigger struggle for me. Not having those types of things near me is important. I still feel like I am in good mindset to make the right choice, but I think the choice is a little more difficult. I feel like I'm on the precipice of my future. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..." so to speak, and I have to look down both and try to discern where they are going. One path is well travelled. It's the path of poor food choices. It is the path of no exercise. It is the path that may have had enjoyment at times, but there was a lot of ill health and many difficulties and unhappiness. It is a path that statistic show would be the shorter path. The other path is less travelled. It's the path of good food choice, exercise, a path that has been more enjoyable that not. It is a path that is filled with good health and hopefully happiness related to a fuller and more active life. It is a longer path, and perhaps at times more difficult, but as any good hike, the payoff is usually better at the end of a difficult hike.
My hope is, I can look back at this decision point and say, "Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."
Quotes are from "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.
Perhaps my waxing poetic is a bit odd, but I do feel like there is clear choice for me right now. I can get back on that well travelled path that contributed to my obesity, or I can go another direction. My choice, of course, is to go the other direction. It will not be easy, but as I close in on 100lbs lost (just a little pound and a half away), I can feel myself struggling with the old "reward" system. I've lost 100lbs, I should be able to eat ice cream all day!! From that point, the excuses for making "exceptions" pile up, as does the weight. I've done it before, pre-surgery.
I'm changing my reward system away from food, but there is still that pull there. The drive toward old habits are heavily ingrained even though for the past 7 months I've been building new habits and a new relationship with food, that old mindset is still lurking there. This is where the battle comes full circle. The honeymoon period starts to abate and you have to start relying on making good choices even if you don't feel "full" or "satisfied" when you think you should. Some people go a year or two before they start this battle, but for me, and I think plenty of others, I feel the storm gathering now at the 6/7 month mark. Not full force, but there. A guerrilla force waiting to attack from the shadows. I still have my weapon of surgery, and it's still doing good things for me, but it's effective range is diminished a bit, I think. I have to continue working on becoming self reliant in my decision making and continue to make good choices and train myself to avoid those things that I know are a slippery slope.
I'm sorry...I really rambled this time....